TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — October 24, 2013 — The struggling oyster industry in Apalachicola could be getting some help from the federal government.
Three weeks after filing a lawsuit against Georgia in the U.S. Supreme Court, Governor Rick Scott has requested an Economic Injury Declaration for Franklin County as a result of impacts to the region’s commercial oyster fishery.
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officials say fresh water from Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta isn't making it downstream to the Apalachicola River. That means higher salt levels in Apalachicola Bay and less oysters.
“I appreciate Governor Scott’s tireless efforts to strengthen Franklin County’s economy, specifically its once-thriving oyster industry,” said Congressman Steve Southerland. “An Economic Injury Declaration through the (U.S. Small Business Administration) would be a critical step forward for local small businesses that are struggling to survive.”
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